Press Conferences

28. 1. 2008 17:28

Press Conference after the Meeting of the Government Held on 12th December 2007


Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press conference after the meeting of the government. Let me welcome here the Prime Minister, Mr. Mirek Topolánek and the Minister of Finance, Mr. Miroslav Kalousek. I ask the Prime Minister for his introductory speech.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: As an introduction, I would like to say that relatively extensive discussion was held on the item "A" – European Agenda, as we had undergone number of negotiations at the ministerial level, and also the session of ministers of labour and social affairs where an agreement on working time adjustment had not been reached. We underwent the V4 session, which was very successful. We were preparing for the Lisbon summit and especially for the Brussels summit which was held on Friday. We were preparing the Czech position. Regarding those issues that were debated today I think that the most significant recent success is the news, which will be announced my Minister Kalousek. We were discussing number of items; the agenda was quite extensive before the end of the year. Number of items was considered without debate. Regarding items which were debated I will mention those which were suspended rather because of formal reasons. We suspended the debate on electronic communications, but only because of clearly formal reasons as legislative comments would be incorporated in the bill, and there was no other problem there. We have solved number of government orders, whether they concerned wage terms of soldiers, tariffs of the security corps members, conditions of the health protection at work or health protection against non-ionising radiation, and such like. We suspended the issue which concerned the road tax as difference of opinions was more serious, especially regarding the concept of the road tax. I think that a very interesting discussion was held on issues that concerned the Government Council for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. The material was approved. We approved the credit of the EIB for co-financing of transport projects and we postponed debate on three issues, which concerned the budget of the Land Fund, as we were waiting for the return of Minister Bursík. These issues will be discussed next week. I suppose it might be enough as the introductory information. Now, I would like to give the floor to Minister Kalousek who will inform you about his issues.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: Have a nice day, once more. I would like to announce that the government approved today the agreement between the Galileo Real, which is fully in possession of the Czech Consolidation Agency and the Swiss bank UBS. The approval of this agreement means crowning of relatively long, many months´ negotiations and efforts of Czech institutions regarding returning of 550 million crowns, which leaked from the Galileo Real company about two years ago. The effort was successful. Based on the agreement, the Czech side will obtain 420 million crowns from the UBS Bank immediately. From this amount 404 million crowns will be transferred by 7 days from the date of signature, which means from the date of effect of the agreement, and 16 million crowns will be transferred after unblocking the account, which is being blocked based on the request of Czech organs. Thus, we will receive 420 million crowns immediately in fact, and then an agreement is with the UBS Bank on concerted actions regarding collection of the amount and compensation of damage from Mr. Miloš Skořepa up to the amount of 558,5 million crowns, which is the amount covering 100% principal, interests and legal expenses. The agreement guarantees us return of all these means, and on the other hand the Galileo Real company withdraws its suit against the UBS Bank, which was brought in Zurich. I would like to thank all those who were involved in this complicated process, that they were not sitting on their hands and that they were striving for return of these means. It was the right strategy and I would like to emphasize that the payment from the UBS Bank and withdrawal of the suit will be done without liability acknowledgement. As to the information of media released in the past, I would like to confirm that we have no reason to expect the UBS Bank to be involved in any illegal activities. We regard the UBS Bank a fair partner and we are looking forward to any commercial cooperation, as soon as such an opportunity arises.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: I thank the Minister of Finance and now there is time for your questions.
Journalist, TV Prima: I would like to know why it took the bank so long to return the money.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: It is always like this in case of transfer of such an amount of money; negotiations are always very complicated. This case was not really simple and I regard as an exceptional success that it lasted such a short time.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: I will add something to this. In the past the Czech Republic was not mostly very successful under leadership of other ministers of finance. This is a success and I would like to thank Miroslav Kalousek for it.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question. Česká televize.
Daniela Písařovicová, Česká televize: I would like to ask Minister Kalousek whether you were also negotiating on the transfer of those claims of the ČKA (Czech Consolidation Agency) or whether you approved realization of the transfer.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: The government did not debate it. The ČKA will be dissolved on 31st December and I will be signing inventory lists at about noon on the New Year's Eve on 31st December. Starting from the 1st January it will be the Ministry of Finance which will become the administrator of claims and property participations, as it results from the law. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that I promised that I would say, and you are likely to know it, that the ČKA, the management and the Supervisory Board of which I thank for their efforts, is holding a press conference at 15:30. So, you will be able to learn some more details there.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question, please? The TV Nova.
Eva Chaloupková, TV Nova: I have a question regarding the road tax. Can you tell us something about reasons of that difference in opinions? What was the apple of discord? Why was not it approved?
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: I would say it was because of different concepts of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Environment. It is quite usual in case of tax laws. We suspended the debate logically because of absence of the Deputy Prime Minister Bursík who is staying in Bali, and I am convinced that we will reach a compromise and an agreement and we will conclude the issue next week.
Eva Chaloupková, TV Nova: Are you waiting for him, then?
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: Of course.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: I do not think that the problem concerns the tax rate but rather the construction of the tax. Therefore, it is a problem which is not interesting for anybody who is outside of the system, but it is very interesting for those who will be administrators and collectors of the tax, who will be guarantors of smooth collection of the tax. Therefore the discussion will be in support of the matter.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, Právo daily.
Jitka Götzová, Právo: Good afternoon, I have a question to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, are you certain that the proposal for abolition of fees in the health care sphere will not be passed as deputies Hovorka and Melčák said that they would not vote for rejection? And the second question, do you have any idea what will be the situation like after the government's annulment of the contract with the Steyer company? Thank you.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: As to your first question, I must say that I start to deal with problems the moment they arise; I am not concerned about them in advance. I regard it as a hypothetical story; starting from 1st January the new law will come into effect. Starting from 1st January persons in various situations will have a duty to pay fees in the health care sphere and I do not have any fears that the situation could be changed. I would regard it as harmful and fruitless. I will start to deal with statements of deputies the moment they start to threaten the vote itself. Now, it is rather premature, and when I said about something that it had been premature, I was always right. In this sense my optimism remains. As to the second question, I will not say more that the Minister of Defence said at the special press conference with the Deputy Minister Barták. There is time enough to consider further procedure in the end of January, when analysis of the further procedure will be submitted. The reason is not the fact that we do not know what to do; we need transporters and we will solve the further procedure from the point of view of their purchase, regardless the situation. We had to cancel the contract, we risked the arbitration from the side of unsuccessful participants of those tenders as conditions of the contract were breached, and we had not any other possibility in such a serious breach of the contract. There may be certain impacts, it is obvious, but we proved during the last year and perhaps in the time of the previous government that we had courage enough to take steps like this. I wish my predecessors took them, as well.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question, Právo daily.
Journalist Čechlovský, Právo: Minister, I would like to ask what the chance is like that you will be successful in collection of the difference between 560 million crowns and 420 million crowns from Mr. Skořepa. How do you evaluate it? Thank you.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: In the agreement it is stipulated that we transfer our claim to the UBS Bank, which will be collecting the amount and the collecting amount will be divided in the ratio 1:1. For the Czech side it will be paid up to the amount of 558,5 million crowns. With regard to the high professionalism of those who will be involved in this work, I suppose that our chance is extraordinary high and that the Czech Republic will obtain not only the entire principal but also compensation of damage.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: It means all interests and relating costs.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: ... compensations and legal expenses. Those 58,5 million crowns is sum of interests and legal expenses.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Česká televize.
Daniela Písařovicová, Česká televize: I would like to ask a question concerning cutting down of some 36 hectares of forests in Jeseníky Mountains because of construction of a ski centre. It was one of the items on the agenda. Did you debate it, was it on the agenda?
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: It was approved without the debate.
Daniela Písařovicová, Česká televize: All right, further question – opposition politician, former politicians and some artists are exhorting to a boycott regarding fees in the health care sphere. What do you say to this news, Prime Minister, or to this appeal and to the fact that politicians are exhorting to breach the law. What would be a threat for the people who would breach the law?
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: Well, opinions of opposition politicians and opposition artists are always interesting, but nobody can breach the law. That is all I can say regarding this issue.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question.
Oldřich Janeba, Deník: I have two questions to you. First, I would like to ask – I think that according to the agenda Minister Říman was to submit some competences of municipalities with regard to decision-making process on location of underground dump. That was the first question.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: These are issues which were postponed by one week due to the absence of Minister Bursík. Items 18, 19 were postponed, and other two items were suspended. It concerns not only involving municipalities into decision-making process on location of underground dumps, but it also concerns the problem of limited liability of nuclear reactors operators. We are of the opinion and it is a habit of this government that in case of absence of a minister who is involved in an issue, the debate on such an issue is postponed.
Oldřich Janeba, Deník: Then, I would like to know – you guaranteed 400 million crowns from the state budget for the development of construction of the Prague underground. I would like to ask if the amount is sufficient as I heard that certain negotiations are held with the Prague municipality as councillors are not very content. Thank you.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: Well, nobody was content with the state budget. I will leave details to Minister Kalousek.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: I cannot say a different sentence than that which was said by the Prime Minister. The state budget is a maximum of possibilities. The amount is a budgetary amount and I do not know anybody who would be content with proposed subsidy in the Act on the State Budget.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, further question, please.
Journalist Žemka, ČTK: I would have a question concerning two amendments approved, which were submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture. I would like to know whether they were approved in the submitted wording or whether certain changes occurred. It concerned the government order which stipulated provisions concerning energy crops cultivation and the second government order which stipulated common sales of selected agricultural commodities. Thank you.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: I think that they were items no. 9 and 10. I must say that they were approved without problems. We regard this amendment as necessary in spite of the fact that certain players on the agricultural market may not like those conditions. We regard those conditions as improvement of the existing state, not as a worsening.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, Právo daily.
Jitka Götzová, Právo: I would revert to my original question. So, you cannot exclude possibility to conclude a new contract with the Steyer company, Prime Minister, is it so?
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: You are asking a question which I cannot answer, and moreover until the analysis is finished, certain behaviour of our partner is supposed, I mean the General Dynamics, as the firm of Steyer is just a manufacturer, but owner is the American firm General Dynamics. I think that hardly anybody knows that, but it is true. It means that we will see what the development will be like, and we will act accordingly. Negotiations on sanctions against supplier are beginning, because the supplier did not meet its obligations resulting from the contract. Therefore we will be negotiating on that sanction and on further procedure and I a material will be submitted to the government, which will determine further procedure. It is obvious that we need transporters. The fact that the composition may be different knew those who were checking it prior to us.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, are there any other questions? Česká televize.
Daniela Písařovicová, Česká televize: I have the last question. I would like to now something about the removal of environmental damage. You debated it about two weeks ago at the meeting of the government and I would like to ask whether you discussed it today or if it remains just a hypothesis. You are to prepare the analysis by three months, minister.
Miroslav Kalousek, Minister of Finance: The Government Order is valid. The government assigned me with a task to prepare an analysis and a proposal for further procedure by 31st March. I exist, and it means that the resolution which is available to the general public is valid. My yesterday's and today's response was to postpone all the questions until end of March, as there are several variants of the solution. It is not clear what variant will be chosen by the government. You are asking questions about issues to which we are only seeking answers through the analysis. Therefore I ask you for understanding; we will know answers to most of your questions as late as in the end of March. We do not know the answer in the end of December.
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: I think I would say the same. The material and the task which we assigned to the Ministry of Finance do not anticipate a concrete solution.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you, are there any further questions?
Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: The only one thing I can say is that we will not continue in the existing state, criminal state, which begs a lot of questions, and which should beg a lot of questions to the investigative, prosecuting and adjudicating bodies.
Jana Bartošová, government spokesperson: Thank you for your attention. Good-bye.

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